


Cheat Days Extras

by unpathdwaters



Series: Cheat Days [2]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, Hate Crimes, Homophobia, M/M, Soft Boys, Surprises, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2019-09-13 07:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16888110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unpathdwaters/pseuds/unpathdwaters
Summary: Scenes from the Cheat Days universe past, present, and future featuring Mitch and Auston along with everyone else in their life (the Stromes. Mostly the Stromes. But sometimes Connor McDavid too)





	1. Greenhouse

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place the summer after Mitch & Auston get together

"You didn't tell him?" Auston checked again. He had dropped his bag in Mitch's room and came back out the front of the apartment. All the windows were open and a fan was whirring on the kitchen island but it was still a hot Toronto day at the end of July.

Dylan rolled his eyes, not even bothering to look up from his video game. He was in shorts and a tank top sitting on the couch and Auston was willing to bet he had been there for a few hours. "No, I did not tell him you were coming. I promised, remember?"

"Just checking." Auston knew there were few secrets Mitch and Dylan kept from one another but he had hoped this surprise would be one of them.

"He's up in the greenhouse," Dylan told him, referring to plastic greenhouse the Strome boys pitched in and got for Mitch's birthday. It was portable, almost like a sturdy, clear tent, with the idea that Mitch could bring it to the roof of the next building him and Dylan moved into. And...maybe even Auston. But he wasn't thinking that far ahead. Not just yet. Mitch had a plan for his building and storefront and Auston was sticking to it too.

The door to the roof was propped open and Auston quietly dropped his phone next to Mitch's assorted pile of odds and ends that consisted of his phone, keys, extra gardening gloves, and what looked like little packets of what Auston thought was fertilizer.

He could see Mitch kneeling inside the greenhouse in front of one of the shelves, clipping pieces of the an herb Auston wasn't familiar with and dropping it into a tupperware container. He was in the same tank top and shorts combo as Dylan and Auston tried not to get distracted by the fact that he was pretty sure Mitch was in one of the tank tops Auston had left in his room. It hung low on him, letting Auston see more of Mitch's chest. He could hear Mitch humming to himself even from a dozen feet away. God, it had only been a few weeks but Auston had missed him.

After taking a few steps but knowing he didn't want to spook his boyfriend, he said quietly, "Hey baby."

Mitch tried to twist around almost immediately and nearly fell over as a result. Auston couldn't help himself-- he laughed and rushed into the greenhouse.

"Auston!" Mitch said breathlessly, sitting up straight so fast that he slammed into Auston right when he got close enough, knocking him down to the tarp-covered ground of the greenhouse.

"Oof!" Auston brought his arms around Mitch, not letting his boyfriend go anywhere just yet, even if the position was a little awkward.. Mitch giggled and squirmed around so he could lean up and give Auston a kiss.

"How long do I have you for?" Mitch asked excitedly.

Auston leaned back, resting his head against a bag of potting soil. Mitch situated himself accordingly but left himself propped up over Auston, a huge smile on his face. Auston couldn't get enough of it. "Til Thursday."

"Four days!" Auston could see Mitch's brain working. "And wait- I have off for two of those mornings. You checked with Dylan!" He said, pleased, letting himself sink down onto Auston's chest.

"Of course I did." Auston kissed Mitch again, letting his hand go through one of the large arm holes in the tank top to feel the sun-warmed skin of Mitch's back. He could feel Mitch settling on top of him, resting his head on his chest. While the roof wasn't the most comfortable on his back, Auston didn't see a problem with resting on the roof a little while longer, inside a greenhouse and with Mitch in his arms. He'd stay up here as long as Mitch wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before & after the Arizona road trip, Dylan & Auston's sophomore year

==Before==

 

Mitch had been silent for ten minutes, sitting on his brother's bed and just watching Dylan pack for the last road trip before the holidays.

"You're going to Arizona next week," Mitch finally said, looking up at Dylan.

"I know," Dylan answered. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't confused but Mitch would let him know what was up sooner or later. "Auston is excited. He gets to see his family for a part of the holidays."

"That's good." Mitch smiled down at Dylan's duvet cover. At least Mitch was pleased about Auston having a good time. So nothing was wrong there.

"You're not asking about Auston's family, are you?" Mitch made a face at Dylan like his brother was an idiot. "Well, how am I supposed to know what's wrong?"

Mitch kept up the same expression, this time adding a roll of his eyes. "Cause I tell you everything?"

"Well, okay. That's true."

"He talked about inviting me," Mitch added, almost as an afterthought.

"Just talked about it?" Dylan checked. Mitch didn't seem to upset one way or another. He just shrugged.

"I really like doing a Strome Christmas." He smiled up at Dylan. "It's sweet and warm and-- family. Maybe next year, I'll go to Auston's but I'm excited that Ryan is able to fly in this year and we'll be all together."

"I like our Christmas too." Dylan had visions of Matt waking them up too early even though he was practically an adult. His mother's Christmas roast, his dad and Ryan arguing about the tree, Mitch and Dylan Facetiming Connor even though it would be early as fuck in Edmonton. Dylan shook himself out of his memories and rewound to the beginning of the conversation. "Wait, so, why did you ask about Arizona?"

Mitch gave him a look and - "Oh shit," Dylan said in realization.

"Yeah, exactly." Mitch fell backwards on Dylan's bed, holding one of his pillows to his chest.

"Man, that guy ruins everything." Not for the first time, Dylan wished he could spear Max Domi without getting penalty.

"I don't want you or Auston to get hurt," Mitch's voice was quiet. They had had this conversation before, the previous season before Dylan and the Leafs went up against the Coyotes. It had happened the same way too, with a worried Mitch on Dylan's bed. Now they had a whole additional person to worry about.

"Max doesn't know, does he? About you and Auston?"

"There's no way he could." Mitch shook his head, sitting up. That didn't mean Max couldn't find out. He was still the boogieman to Dylan. Only the Stromes and Connor McDavid knew about Auston and Mitch's relationship but Dylan didn't take anything for granted anymore. "But I'm still worried Auston will hear whatever he says to you and-"

"He's quiet on the ice," Dylan recalled. He kept his voice as quiet as Mitch's. He knew Mitch didn't like hearing about Max but maybe it'd ease his worries a little. "It was mostly physical. I could barely hear him. It was mostly shoving." Mitch's face was a little pale. "I can handle myself, Mitch. We both can."

"I know you can. You know I know that," Mitch insisted.

"I know," Dylan joked. He sat down next to Mitch and pressed their shoulders together.

"Just be safe, please."

"We will."

 

  
==After==

 

  
Before Dylan or Auston could make to open the door to the apartment, it swung open. Mitch leaned against the doorway and smiled fondly at Auston. "A hat trick, really?"

“You watched?” Auston and Dylan both asked in unison, looking at one another.

“Matt watched," Mitch told them, unimpressed. The 'duh' went unspoken.

"I knew you wouldn't like it if I got angry or kicked off of the ice," Auston admitted sheepishly. It had been a legit hat trick and Auston couldn't deny that he looked directly at Max Domi after scoring the third goal.

"So you turned it into something positive," Mitch said affectionately. He hadn't taken his eyes off of Auston. Dylan wished he was back on the plane even if it was another six hour flight. He could see his bed just past Mitch's head.

"Exactly!" Auston said, just as besotted.

Mitch shook his head. "You're lucky you're cute."

"Oh my god," Dylan moaned. "Just let me into the apartment, please."

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week & a half after Dylan & Connor go get Mitch from London

"Mitchy?" Matt Strome's voice whispered through the door's small opening in Ryan's room. Well, it was Mitch's room now. Ryan swore that Mitch could have it. After all, he mostly slept in the basement when he came to visit anyway. It was Mitch's room now.

He'd get used to that eventually. Just like everything else. Hopefully.

Matt Strome was fourteen years old and taller than Mitch by a mile. Not that it mattered now because only one of them was still playing hockey but--

"Yeah Matt?" Mitch called out to him before he let his brain go any further.

“Are you okay?” Matt asked. Mitch looked at the clock radio on the nightstand. It was past midnight.

“Yeah, Matty. I’m okay," Mitch sighed. Matt took that as an invitation to come in and crawl into the small twin bed. Mitch wondered how often Matt did this with Ryan and Dylan. Knowing the Stromes and their need for hugs, he imagined it was often. He couldn't blame them. He was the same way.

“Can I sleep in here tonight?” Matt asked after he was already wrapped in the extra blanket that Mitch had left at the foot of the bed. He snuggled in, dropping a heavy arm over Mitch's duvet-covered chest.

“Why? Are you okay?” Mitch asked quietly. Matt hadn't left his side the past week and a half and Mitch should have known that would have extended to past bedtime.

Matt's voice was quiet. That too had been Mitch's new normal. Everyone was quiet around Mitch now. He'd be lying if he said he didn't appreciate it the same as he did the hugs. “I had a dream that you weren’t here," Matt told him, muffled by his face pressed the blankets. "So if I wake up and see you here. It’ll be okay.”

Well. Mitch couldn't say no to that. He didn't want to either. “Yeah, bud. You can sleep in here," he went to run his fingers through Matt's hair but stopped when he lifted his hand and remembered there was a cast on it.

“How’s your wrist?” Matt asked, eyes still closed.

"It itches," Mitch sighed, gently putting his wrist down next to him and as far away from Matt as he could.

"Want me to get you the pencil?" Matt offered sleepily and opened his eyes. "Maybe tomorrow we can go get you a real skinny one and it'll fit under the cast?"

"Maybe tomorrow, Matty."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is for @delaying-the-game on tumblr who requested auston staying home injured and mitch taking care of him. it actually became a cold but i hope you like it!

"His dad went home, right? He's back in Arizona?" Marty asked. "Maybe Syd could-"

"He's an adult," Bozak rolled his eyes. "He's not dying. It's just a cold."

"He's nineteen," Marty fired back.

Right at that moment, Auston let out six consecutive sneezes.

"Okay guys, maybe Matts needs an adult." Willy admitted worriedly.

Cut to three hours later and Auston was curled up on Dylan and Mitch's couch.

"We have a squatter?" Mitch asked. He leaned over and felt Auston's flushed cheeks. "No fever," he murmured.

"It's just a cold. I can still play," Auston said grumpily. "I can go on the trip. It's just one game." Dylan couldn't hold back a snort.

"Matt, during practice, you sneezed so hard that your helmet fell off."

Auston glared at his teammate. "It wasn't buckled on." He moved to get up but Dylan threw a heavy blanket over his lap. He tried to push it off without going too dizzy and failed. "Marty's girlfriend offered to keep an eye on me anyway. I don't need to bother Mitch."

Hearing that, Mitch looked up. He caught Dylan's gaze and tilted his head towards Dylan's bedroom. His brother could take a hint and made himself scarce.

"It's a cold," Auston said again, trying to pull his hands out of Mitch's. Mitch refused to let go.

"Why do you think you'd be bothering me if you're sick?" He asked softly. Moving aside one of the throw pillows on the couch, Mitch sat down on the couch next to Auston, tucking himself up to his boyfriend.

"Cause it's gross and you like your space," Auston mumbled, turning away. He didn't want to get Mitch sick too. "I don't need to stay here. It's just a cold," he repeated lamely.

Mitch sighed, "If I didn't think Dylan would be furious at us for having sex in all the common areas in this flat, I'd have you over all the time. But I know that's not what you want either." Auston knew he was right. Their relationship was already more serious from the beginning than either of them had expected before meeting each other. They were trying hard to be careful but still just...live their lives. "That doesn't mean I don't want to take care of you when you're sick." He ran his fingers through Auston's sweaty hair and reminded himself to push for a shower once Auston was up from the nap Mitch was going to insist he take.

"But-"

"I know you'll hate this but you're extremely cute when you're sick," Mitch said. Auston's fuzzy brain thought that maybe Mitch was still teasing him but his face seemed earnest, if not a little red. Maybe Mitch was getting sick too.

"I'm not getting sick, babe, that's all you," Mitch chuckled.

"Babe?" Dylan shouted from the other room.

"Don't you have a plane to catch?" Mitch hollered back.

"What if someone asks?" Auston asked quietly. Mitch's responding smile wasn't as nervous as Auston had thought it would be. In their seven months of dating, Mitch had grown a little less anxious about certain things surrounding Auston and Dylan's professional lives but never about the media. Turns out a lot of the hockey journalists were just dumb.

"Just say the team left Auston Matthews in Toronto to drown in his own mucus." Mitch said quickly, pressing a kiss to the top of Auston's head.

Dylan's voice came from behind Auston. "Lovely. The Toronto media will appreciate that for sure."

============

"Hey babe." Mitch kissed his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"My nose hurts." Auston tried to look down at his nose, crossing his eyes in the process. If the pile of the tissues on the couch next to him was any indicator, his nose was probably bright red.

"I know, Aus. It's all right." Mitch set half of a sandwich and a bowl of soup in front of him along with-

"Hot sauce?" Auston squinted. "Was that in my bag?"

"Nah, I got that for you while you were napping. It's double the heat of the one you normally get. I want you to try and taste something through this cold. Maybe the extra heat will break through enough for your tastebuds."

"I..." Auston looked helplessly at Mitch and then back at the soup and sandwich. "Mitch. I. You're so..." He swallowed, only wincing a bit when his throat ached at the action.

Mitch just smiled sweetly at him and covered him with another blanket. "Let me know if you're too warm, okay?"

Auston just nodded obediently and watched his sweet boyfriend walk back to his kitchen.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> takes place right before 2015 draft, this scene was alluded to in the main story

Dylan had frozen. Ryan wanted to laugh at him- he looked ridiculous, staring out the window of the tailorshop in a suit that was too long for him even though they both knew he'd shoot up at least a few more inches. Hopefully not until after his draft. Ryan really didn't want to have to go buy him another suit. He could afford to pay for it, sure, but only with money, not with his sanity. Dylan took forever to pick out patterns.

"Ryan," Dylan said in a careful whisper. His eyes were still trained on whatever was going on out in the parking lot of the shopping center.

Ryan turned around and swore loud enough that the man at the register glanced over at them.

He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Mitch's parents. It had probably been at least few years, at one of the few tournaments Mitch and Dylan had both been a part of. They had basically stopped coming around once Ryan and then Dylan and Mitch had learned to drive. Their parents had never really gotten along anyway and the Marners weren't exactly good at hiding it. Good riddance.

Ryan did remember the last time he had seen Mitch though. He was baking in the their kitchen helping mom bake while Matt sat on one of the few remaining stools that hadn't been destroyed through the years of the boys growing up in the house. Matt had been eating chocolate chips right from the bag while Mitch and mom debated the different kinds of pans to use for Ryan's early birthday cake.

He turned back around to his brother who somehow managed to look older and younger all at once in his new suit. "Dylan. Dylan, look at me."

"They're right there." Dylan's voice was pleading with Ryan even though he didn't make to move in any direction, whether it was towards the Marners or away from them.

"I see them, bud."

"Ryan," Dylan sounded furious, heartbroken, and sick all at once. Ryan couldn't blame him-- he felt like he was going to be sick too. "They're just there," he said again, the frustration in his voice had Ryan reaching out and grabbing his brother's hand.

He could hear what Dylan wasn't saying. The Marners were just there, out in the parking lot and living their life without their son. They didn't even seem bothered. They looked...normal.

Mitch wasn't theirs anymore though, Ryan reminded himself. Mitch belonged with the Stromes. The Marners didn't deserve him. The Stromes weren't about to give him back.

"I know, bud," Ryan said quietly. "Take off the suit, watch the pins, and let's go home." Dylan listened to his brother even though Ryan watched him glance out the winter every minute or so until the Marners were out of sight.

"Can we stop on the way home and get Mitch and Matt some Timbits?"

"Sure, Dyls."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> warnings: this is the ficlet that includes dylan (and then connor) finding out mitch was injured by his teammates in london so warning for a abuse/hate crime against a queer minor & also a warning for vomit because dylan gets sick. i will be adding these to the tags for the story overall as well

Connor looked around the hallway outside of the Otters' locker room. He could have sworn he heard his name.

"Davo--" He finally caught sight of Connor Brown, peaking his head out of the locker room doors with a worried look on his face.

"What's up, Brownie?"

Brownie just shook his head, beckoning Connor back inside the locker room. "Something is up with Dylan."

"Stromer? What do you mean?"

"I mean, Darren is about to sit on him, dude. He's running around the locker room." Brownie didn't wait for an answer but just dragged Davo back inside the locker room.

Sure enough, Dylan was pacing back and forth in the locker room, still partially in his gear from practice. Connor waved Darren and Brownie off, indicting that he had it handled. Their teammates didn't argue. No one wanted to deal with an angry Dylan Strome.

Connor kept his voice low as he approached his best friend, "Stromer? What's going on, man?"

Dylan finally looked up from his phone. "I gotta go," was all he said.

"Whoa. Go? Go where?"

"London," Dylan said like he had never hated another city more than it.

"What's in London?" Connor knew of a bunch of stuff in London. Well, mostly hockey-related things but still.

"I need to go get Mitch." Dylan's voice was small now and Connor looked closer to see that his best friend's hands were shaking where they were holding his phone.

Connor felt the air leave his lungs. "Dyls. What happened? What happened to Mitch?" Dylan's face was pale. Connor could still see the franticness but he looked as though he was going to be sick.

"Can we borrow your billet mom's minivan you think?"

"As long as we pay for gas, she said it was fine."

"Even if we're driving to Canada?"

"Especially if we're going there to help someone."

Dylan's expression turned even more green. A hiccuping sound came from his throat and he turned away from Connor. Next thing Connor knew, Dylan was rushing to the bathroom in the back of the locker room. Connor took a few deep breaths and gathered himself. He went and got Dylan a bottle of water and a bottle of gatorade and placed them on the locker room bench. Then he called his billet mom to double check that no one was using the van tonight. One thing at a time. He could do this. He could do this for Dylan and Mitch.

Dylan came back out of the bathroom and sat on the bench next to Connor, who opened up the bottle of gatorade for Dylan. He made a face at it but still took a few sips.

"Before we go, can you tell me--"

"A broken wrist," Dylan interrupted him. "They broke his wrist."

"Who did you talk to on the phone?"

"I don't---. I'm not sure. It was Mitch and then it wasn't. It was Mitchy's phone but they didn't-- I'm not sure. They just asked if we could come get him because he wasn't..." Dylan took a deep breath. "They said he wasn't safe."

Connor took a breath and set that piece of information aside for now. "He knows we're coming?

"I told him I was coming."

"You're definitely not driving, Dyls, but--" Connor looked over at his best friend. "We're bringing him home with us, right?"

"Yeah. Home," Dylan echoed. "Shit, I need to call my parents."

"We're bringing him to Mississuaga?"

"That's home."

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an anonymous tumblr user prompted: Cute/fluffy prompts: Mitch and Auston go condo/house hunting

“Well, we need a third floor for Dylan and then we can live on the second floor and then we can have the bakery on the first floor.”

“What if I wanted to live on the third floor with you?” Auston teased.

Mitch gasped, “You want me to leave my precious baked goods at the mercy of Dylan?”

“Hey!” The man in question yelled from where he was playing CoD on the couch in the other room.

“I need to be between Dylan and the pastries. If he’s on the second floor, he _will_  sneak down at three am and take a slice out of someone’s wedding cake.”

“That was ONE TIME. I thought it was a testing cake! I _apologized_!”

Auston was looking away from both of them, smile on his face, like he didn’t want to be caught laughing at two of the most important people in his life.

“Regretting your choice to move in with us?” Mitch asked, twinkle in his eye as he grabbed hold of one of Auston’s hands and squeezed it tight.

“Not a chance.”

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr >> same username if you have questions or even prompts for this universe


End file.
